Users of wheelchairs have encountered difficulties in connection with the passing through doorways, particularly with self-closing doors which frequently do not tend to give enough time to allow wheelchair users ingress and egress. In order for a wheelchair user to negotiate self-closing doors, a series of steps are required. First, the user approaches the door. Second, the user opens the door. Third, the user enters the doorway. Fourth, the user proceeds through the doorway. Fifth, the user enters the room. Lastly, the door closes behind the user. Self-closing doors were designed to assist in climate control and to prevent the need for the users to close the door behind them. In proceeding through these six steps, particular difficulties are generally encountered by a user having to open the door and then having to wheel the chair through the open doorway. This tends to take longer during ingress and egress than would for a walking individual. Particular concern is that the wheelchair could be moved through the doorway quickly enough before the chair comes into contact with the door. Some users have found it necessary to hold the door with one arm and wheel with the other. When a wheelchair user does come into contact with the door, the door would hit the wheel of the chair or the hands of the user or the footrest or the knee of the user.
An object of this invention is to provide a wheelchair with at least one safety bumper to protect the user, particularly while moving through a doorway.
In accordance with this invention a safety bumper is mounted to the wheelchair outwardly of at least one of the wheels. The bumper extends partially forwardly of the wheel and has an outer surface which functions as a cam. In use, for example, the outer surface of the bumper would contact the door and maintain the door open as the user passes through the doorway. The provision of the safety bumper outwardly of the wheel also creates a barrier to protect the user""s hand against a self-opening door closing on the user and/or prevents the door from contacting the wheel or footrest.